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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. vault — a safe
  6. rock — music
  7. court — for sport
  8. rock — a stone
  9. scale — size or range
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bat — the animal
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. court — of a king
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. court — of law
  21. foot — a measure
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. scale — in music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com